NY Jets: Let the Elijah Moore/Kadarius Toney comparisons begin

Look, it is no secret that NY Jets and NY Giants fans do not get along. Whether it's Jets fans comparing themselves to their brethren in blue or Giants fans upset they have to share a room with their little brother, the in-state rivalry runs deep.

While the two sides spent the last few years bickering about which team made the right decision at quarterback (which depending on the type of season Daniel Jones has might end up being a wash), the 2021 NFL Draft might have added a new wrinkle to the fold.

It is no secret that Gang Green loves their second-round selection in Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore (just look at head coach Robert Saleh’s reaction).

However, the thing that might add some fuel to this fire is the fact that the team across town selected a receiver of their own in Florida’s Kadarius Toney 14 spots prior.

The NY Jets/Giants rivalry grows with Elijah Moore and Kadarius Toney.

While the story of their careers is far from finished, so far the return on investment seems to be swinging in the Jets’ favor as Moore has reportedly looked like a draft-day steal during spring practices while Toney has received mixed reviews.

The Jets had Moore ranked as high as No. 16 overall on their draft board and for good reason. Despite opting out of the 2020 season after eight games, he led the FBS with 10.8 receptions and 149.1 receiving yards per game.

The 21-year-old also set a school record with 86 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns en route to first-team Associated Press All-American, first-team All-SEC, and Biletnikoff Award finalist honors.

On the flip side, while Toney departed Gainesville as a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile performer), the 22-year-old enters the NFL with injury concerns as he missed chunks of the 2017 and 2019 seasons.

Toney was also suspended for the first game of the 2018 season for “not living up to the Gator standard” and was recently seen firing back at fans critical of his rap career.

It has been a long time since the Jets were able to find a draft-day diamond in the rough like Moore.

So while it would be nice to make each of the teams who passed on him look foolish, there is something sweeter about doing it to the team they share a stadium with.